Teamsters to load Stones' gear at Pac Bell Saturday

A local Teamsters union got some satisfaction in its bid to work the Rolling Stones concerts this weekend at Pacific Bell Park.

Mayor Willie Brown announced Wednesday that concert promoter Bill Graham Presents has agreed to allow Teamsters Local 85 workers to load concert equipment Saturday at the end of the Rolling Stones tour in San Francisco.

The Teamsters had picketed the park since Monday morning to pressure Bill Graham Presents into hiring union workers to load and unload equipment for all future Pac Bell Park concerts. While they were picketing, nonunion workers had unloaded equipment from trucks for Friday's and Saturday's Stones concerts.

The agreement covers only this weekend's event, but union officials said it was a strong first step.

Bill Graham Presents officials said the agreement means some nonunion workers scheduled to work the show will be laid off.

"We are very happy that the picket line is down," said Sherry Wasserman, senior executive vice president of Bill Graham Presents.

Other unions had threatened not to work the concert unless Bill Graham reached an agreement with the Teamsters.

The agreement puts back to work members of Local 16, who handle stage construction and lighting and who had not crossed Local 85's picket lines.

The agreement also means members of Local 2, who do food concessions at the park, will work this weekend.

"I hope (the promoters) will be smart enough to not have this happen again, " said Van Beane, secretary-treasurer of Local 85. The union represents trade- show workers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

Local 85 has been trying for five years to negotiate a contract with Bill Graham Presents and parent company Clear Channel Communications to load and unload trucks at productions, Beane said.

The Stones also play Tuesday at the Oakland Arena, but the Teamsters are not picketing that venue.